A place to discuss, disagree, and vent your opinions on issues related to government, terrorism, and homeland security. This is the home of the "Stupid Awards" program.

Pakistan releases the CIA Contractor US had declared a Diplomat to hide his actual status

CNN News reported that "CIA contractor Raymond Davis has been released from jail in Pakistan after the families of two men he killed in January forgave him, a government official said Wednesday. Punjab province law minister Rana Sanaullah first told Pakistani media that the victims' families did not want to press charges and added soon after that Davis was free to go. The statement came just hours after the American was charged with murder in connection with the shootings."

"The U.S. Embassy in Pakistan declined to answer repeated CNN questions about whether Davis had left jail or where he is now. According to Davis, the January 27 shooting occurred after two men attacked him as he drove through a busy Lahore neighborhood, the U.S. Embassy says."

The US State Department had argued for weeks that Davis was a diplomat--implying that he was a Federal employee and entitled to immunity.

The Situation in Bahrain remains grim at best

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that in Bahrain, "At least five people were killed and hundreds wounded when police cleared demonstrators from Manama's Pearl Square on Wednesday in an attempt to halt weeks of popular unrest. The violence, so soon after the Saudi-led intervention, will further embarrass Washington, which had urged dialogue to tackle Bahrain's problems and says Riyadh did not consult it before moving troops to the island where the U.S. Fifth Fleet is based."

"That may be the case, but U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited Bahrain at the weekend. To many Arabs the timing smacks of U.S. complicity in King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa's decision to invite the Saudis in and declare martial law."

"That will create a narrative that does not make the U.S. look good," said Shadi Hamid of the Doha Brookings Center. "It puts the U.S. on one side of the conflict, which is with the status quo and the Bahraini ruling family."

Non-Arab Iran, which has in the past laid claim to Bahrain, has denounced what it sees as U.S.-backed Gulf Arab meddling. "It is not possible to stop a popular uprising by using armed forces of other countries," said Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "These are ugly and failing actions."

"The clampdown in Bahrain suggests that a conservative wing of the ruling family, backed by its Saudi counterparts, has won out over reformers led by Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, who last month offered dialogue with the Shi'ite opposition and said protesters could stay in Pearl Square."

"A main demand of Bahrain's pro-democracy movement has been the resignation of conservative Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, who has held his post for 40 years. Bahraini Shi'ites have long complained of discrimination in housing and jobs, charges the government rejects. The protesters had sought to cast their movement as national, not sectarian"

And in Libya...

Voice of America reports that "Forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi attacked rebels in the western city of Misrata with heavy artillery Wednesday, killing at least four people. Witnesses say the rebel-held city has come under attack from the east and south. Government forces have also pounded the eastern city of Ajdabiya, but reports from rebels there say they have repelled pro-Gadhafi advances and are in almost total control of the city. The rebels disputed a Libyan state television report Tuesday that pro-government forces had regained control of Ajdabiya."

"The city is close to the opposition stronghold of Benghazi and would give access to roads leading to the opposition's base if retaken by pro-Gadhafi forces. The lightly armed and poorly organized opposition fighters have not been able to stop the advance of the Libyan army with its aircraft, tanks and heavy weapons. Over the past week, the previous rebel advance to the west has been pushed back nearly 200 kilometers."

Finally, the White House...

In the White House, it was business as usual, with president Obama urging people to stop filling out brackets for march Madness (The NCAA Tournament) to contribute to charities supporting Jpanaese re-construction efforts. No mention of Libya today.

It is coming up on a week after Rep. Peter King (R-NY), started his investigation on the radicalization of the American Muslim population with the first hearings that made him look completely foolish. At least Senator Joe McCarthy, in the early 50's, waved a few pieces of paper in the air which he claimed were lists of communists and their sympathizers. King could not even do that.

A New Gallup Poll indicates that 52 percent of Americans say these hearings are appropriate, though support is split along party lines. Sixty-nine percent of Republicans say the hearings are the right thing, while only 40 percent of Democrats say they are appropriate. Independents' views track closely to the national average at 51 percent supporting the hearings. Overall, 49 percent of Democrats polled on Tuesday say the hearings are not appropriate, compared to 42 percent of independents and 23 percent of Republicans. From that perspective, King has support for his views.

However, what King did not do--favoring a more general, sensationalist view--was to clearly define the purpose of his committee hearings. Those hearings should be on radicalization of Americans across a number of groups who preach hate and destruction--including those terrorist groups that happen to be Muslim. Instead he painted the Muslim community separately with a broad brush and that hurts everyone--not those he should have identified and exposed.

Rep. King has a long history of shooting off his mouth--starting hearings, or making claims, and eventually letting them peter out after he gets the publicity he seeks. That is what these hearing are really all aobut--publicity for mr. King. if he had the perspective, he could do good things with his hearings--but I will bet he won't, and the results of his efforts will be meaningless--except perhaps to get himself re-elected.

The trash continues over the forced resignation of Fred Grandy from the Grandy Group on WMAL, a Washington DC Talk Station. Atlas Shrugs, a well-known blog, in its latest front page, says,

"WMAL-AM in Washington, DC gave morning talk show host Fred Grandy an “offer he couldn’t accept” – don’t talk about Islam so much and leave your popular wife at home. The Friday discussions between Fred and “Mrs. Fred” about the Shariah threat to American freedoms and institutions were one of the most popular parts of the program."

"Grandy refused to meet those conditions and his show was cancelled. Now WMAL comes out with a different version of the incident everytime they get a call. The bottom line is this WMAL has become the first Shariah-compliant radio station in America. They speak about radical Islam very gingerly and they have no time for opinionated women like Mrs. Fred. Call them today and let them know you support the Constitution and not Shariah."

A number of writers have suggested that they support the station, and they have that right. Fred did 'resign', but only after an insult to his wife. How many have that much gumption these days?

Accuracy in Media asked some pointed questions on its blog as well. "Washington, D.C. radio station WMAL is once again being accused of firing a popular talk show host because of his criticism of radical Muslims. The station, a major source of news and information for the nation’s capital, claims that popular morning host Fred Grandy resigned on his own, but Grandy tells AIM that he was essentially forced to leave after his wife, who is also outspoken about radical Islam, was cut from the program."

"The growing controversy over Grandy’s departure has resulted in some Grandy supporters charging the station with being “Sharia-compliant,” a reference to Islamic law, and with bending under pressure from the Council on American Islamic-Relations (CAIR), a Muslim lobbying organization that combats what it calls “Islamophobia” in the media"

Let's listen to what Catherine Grandy really said. here's the YouTube broadcast video. Listen to it for yourself .

WMAL Host told to slow down discussions of Terrorism but resigns instead

In what has become a shockwave across the Washington DC area, Fred "Gopher" Grandy, former member of Congress, and host of the Grandy Group on WMAL- Washington, has apparently been forced to resign from his long-time morning talk show.

While Fred himself has said virtually nothing, his wife Catherine Mann-Grandy has been vocal on the subject, speaking with Fox ndews and others about their run-in with the new management at WMAL. The sudden departure immediately triggered rumors that the Council on American Islamic Relations, the country's largest Muslim advocacy group, was somehow involved -- a charge CAIR denied. Mann-Grandy said she thinks that's what happened, though she doesn't have evidence. "You're not allowed to talk about what's happening in your country," she said on FOX News.

According to the FOX News website, " Mann-Grandy, who did a regular segment called "domestic terrorism 101," hit a string of topics on their show last Friday. Though the segment was taken off the radio's site, she described it. She said that, on air, she quoted a rabbi who compared radical Muslims to Nazis, complained that President Obama was not doing enough to help Israel, warned that "Shariah-compliant" individuals work in the government and discussed several other Islam-related topics. "

"Perhaps sensing she might have stepped over a line, she warned on air about the possibility that she might not return the following week. Sure enough, she didn't. Mann-Grandy said her husband told her Tuesday that management told him she could no longer be on the show. Further, she said her husband was told to "really tone it down on the Islam stuff."

Meanwhile, Right Side News suggested a more sinister reason for his departure than a simple tiff with management. In their piece, they quote Grandy and say, " The station (WMAL), a major source of news and information for the nation’s capital, claims that popular morning host Fred Grandy resigned on his own, but Grandy (says) that he was essentially forced to leave after his wife, who is also outspoken about radical Islam, was cut from the program. "

"The growing controversy over Grandy’s departure has resulted in some Grandy supporters charging the station with being “Sharia-compliant,” a reference to Islamic law, and with bending under pressure from the Council on American Islamic-Relations (CAIR), a Muslim lobbying organization that combats what it calls “Islamophobia” in the media."

"Grandy, a former actor and Republican member of Congress, told AIM, “My wife and I have used our program over the last several months to warn about the spread of radical Islam at home and abroad. Last week, Catherine (known on the show as Mrs. Fred) delivered a very tough indictment against stealth jihad, and for her efforts she was told she was off the show. I then told management without Mrs. Fred at the microphone, I could not remain either and have resigned effective this morning.”

The station General manager also released a statement, which said, " "To be clear, at no time has WMAL told Fred that he was not allowed to discuss his views on Islam over the air," he said in a statement to FoxNews.com. "In fact, he has done so on numerous occasions. Further, WMAL has not been contacted by any organization seeking to restrict his broadcasts."

"WMAL remains committed to its goal of providing a forum for discussing a broad spectrum of issues while delivering compelling programming including Chris Plante, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Mark Levin," he added. Grandy does admit that the decision to resign was his, although it appears the principal reason is the insult to his wife, who was known on the show as "Mrs. Frede", and appeared at least twice each week.

Not the first time WMAL has buckled to criticism

Grandy told Accuracy in Media (AIM), : “We cannot affirmatively conclude CAIR or any of the prominent Islamic organizations had anything to do with this. We do know, however, in 2005 representatives of CAIR in D.C. were successful in getting midmorning host Michael Graham fired for anti-Islamic statements he had made on the radio and TV.” Graham was fired from WMAL after describing Islam as a “terrorist organization” on his program and refusing to apologize or modify the description.

James Lafferty of the Virginia Anti-Shariah Task Force blames the controversy on the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). “CAIR frequently criticized Grandy for reading FBI reports and court documents on his radio show which labeled CAIR as ‘an unindicted co-conspirator’ in the federal Holy Land Foundation terror finance trial,” Lafferty said.

CAIR Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper acted surprised by the news of Grandy’s resignation and responded: “What is their evidence for that claim?,” when informed that his group was being blamed for his departure.

Lafferty told AIM: “I heard from two very good sources that CAIR was involved in this and not only targeting Grandy but Sean Hannity.” He said CAIR’s strategy was to knock Grandy off the air and then go after Hannity, a nationally syndicated radio host carried by WMAL in the afternoon. Hannity also hosts a Fox News Channel TV show.

Lafferty has urged supporters of the Grandys to protest on Monday, March 7, and Tuesday, March 8, during “Call Out WMAL Days.” That seems like a great idea. A call to the Station General Manager, Jeff Boden -- in fact, many calls to the GM -- might make a defference.

We need to stop with this artificial political correctness and this is as good a place to start as any.

We had a lot of hits on my views on TSA (You know them--the TOUCH, SEARCH and ARREST agency). Things calmed down a bit after the initial onslaught of complaints, and that is probably normal around here in the USA. First, people tend to be excited about the cause de jour rather than be really concerned about any one issue. Second, those in the wrong, especially the Feds, have virtually unlimited funding to blanket a proble with PR to makle it seem like nothing. Third, the incidents themselves did not happen to congressmen, senators, or their staffs so no really important damage occured in the minds of those with purstrings.

TSA gets a bit like the FBI at this time of year--create a lot of spurious threats of violence to get your budget passed, and then calm things down. The FBI has done it successfully for years, and the TSA is quickly learning.

The biggest shame of this whole mess, other than those that were egregiously insulted by the TSA gestapo was the total lack of concern about the issues by Pistole, their Director. He casually admitted that it was his decision not to publicize the new screening procedures ahead of their introduction--after all they had the RIGHT to do it--even though advance notice may have diffused the situation. What was the most telling part of the mess was his complete lack of concern for the travelling public--and the abject defense of him by King Obama and his other minions. People don't matter anymore--only the potentates of Washington.

Well, after a prolonged period following surgery for cancer, it is time to get back on the soapbox on several events.

TSA has the most incredibly stupid management of any Federal agency--even the White House (And that is not saying much). Starting this semi-legal grope with their blue gloved veterans of the unemployment lines and giving these people nearly absolute immunity from criticism and prosecution is a bit like sending a child molester to pass out candy in an orphanage.

Let's remember that their stated purpose--so often indicated by Pistone their Director--is to ensure that no more Reeds (Could not blow up own shoe) or the arab last Christmas (Could not blow up own underwear) would not be repeated. Two acts have generated new rules designed to prevent such occurences, but will they prevent disaster?

My voice says NO THEY WON'T. While we are molesting passengers at will, please note that only about 5% of cargo is ever checked more than cursorily (Perhaps because it can't be groped) but allowed to sit in the holds of planes (maybe like ink cartridges).

I agree with safety measures, but also think two incredibly stupid things happened here:

First, the TSA propaganda ministry failed in getting out the word sufficiently ahead to get people aware of what would happen.

Second, they apparently had little if any training (Other than a chance to grope Secretary Napolitano and the TSA Director) before the system went in place. The horror stories are coming out daily, but not the list of those being fired for their over-exuberance. TSA simply rolls over everything because, after all, they are above all laws.

This foolishness needs to stop. Sane heads need to prevail here, and the White House needs to DEMAND accountability and respectability in what TSA does. for myself, i urge as many as possible to refuse screening in favor of a free grops to see for yourself what Washington has done for you lately.

Journalists release file footage at significant odds with official Israeli Version

This morning at the UN, filmmaker Iara Lee will show footage taken on the Marvi Marmara, a ship of the Freedom Flotilla, as it was attacked by the Israeli commando operation that left 10 dead and numerous wounded last week. This film, one of the few not confiscated by the Israeli IDF, was sent out before the Israelis could confiscate it along with much other footage and tapes as they attacked the flotilla.

These tapes are raw footage, not the doctored and enhanced video the IDF has been slowly releasing as they finish doctoring to support their version of events. It is graphic and worth seeing as another version of the events.

We show it courtest of WPFW in Washington DC where it was shown on Democracy Now with Amy Goodman.

The MV Rachel Corrie is yet the latest ship forcibly taken in International Waters by the masked goons of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). This masked group tries to play at being commandos--they shot ten people--mostly from behind, in the Freedom flotiilla taking, and have now swept down on the Rachek Corrie to do the same thing--still masked of course. Some many remember that Rachel Corrie was the woman crushed to death by an IDF bulldozer as she protesting Israeli construction on arab land several years ago.

The moves have incensed much of the Middle Eastern landscape, extending into Europe and Asia as more countries are demandi ng that the UN take action. of course, Israel, protected by its mentor, the US, will veto any real effort to condemn Israel. For now, they get to continue to act as lawlessly as they choose.

Egypt will keep the Rafah Gate Open.

Egypt, which had been supporting israel on the blockage has now decided that the blockage is useless and serving no good purpose--rapidly becoming unenforcible. So, it has decided to keep open idefinately the Rafah Gate through which Palestinians from Gaza can travel to and from Egypt. It is still unclear how much in the way of humanitarian supplies will move through the gate as well, although for now Egypt says it will not allow bulk supplies to enter. Another of israel's 'friends' join Turkey in moving a distance away from Israel.

Egypt better be careful here--the same Israeli goons that descended on the ships can easily descend on the gate area and try to close it. Wonder if they will be masked as well. more important, will the Egyptians fire back?

Israel has been falsifying footage and press information from the Freedom Flotilla. News reports from Israel indicate that the IDF doctored footage taken from the Freedom Flotilla to show that the civilians on the Mara were actually preparing for the arrival of the Israeli goons. They also issued press releases indicating they had information that many of the 'civilians' were actually al Quaeda operatives. After Max Blumenthal, a noted reporter and commentator called the IDFs hand, the videos were withdrawn and the press releases changed to eliminate the al Queda references. That, of course, now leads to the inevitable question of what to believe when it comes from the IDF or the ISraeli Government.

Israel names Reserve general to probe the actions of the Freedom Flotilla Massacre.

Israel still conti nues to refuse to allow a complete international investigation of the massacre of the Freedom Flotilla passengers, but it has announced that a reserve general wiull lead a probe--limited in nature--to see what lessons can be learned from the action. So much for Israel's boast that it would conduct a credible probe and did not need international supervision or direction.

Still more Israeli goons attack Helen Thomas

For those of you who don't know Ms. Thomas, she is, at 89 years old, the dean of the Washington DC Press Corps, and has been a WHite House Press Correspondent for over 60 years. Yet, because someone put a microphone before her and she made offhand comments on Israel, the goons, in the form of Ari Fleischer and Lanni Davis, both directors of AIPAC (Israel-America Public Affairs Committee) and forced her retirement.

Ms. Thomas's sentiments, that many of those who called themselves Israeli, but were actually from Europe until WWII, should stop occuping arab land and move back where they came from to let the Palestinians live in peace. If this were a comment about almost any other country, it would be laughed off. No so among the Israeli-loving communities. Ari Fleischer, former press secretary for George W Bush was the first, demanding that Hearst Newspapers fire her immediately. Then came Lanni Davis, who worked for Bill Clinton, demanded that the White House remove her credentials. Both were ready to respond before she announced her retirement.

At least this incident is different --these goons had the guts to not wear masks.

The news is not dying down as Benjamin Netanyahu expected and hoped. Instead, the drumbeat continues, and probably will, as he makes his frequently absurd statements of twisted fact. The latest, reported in the Washington Times today, is that "The flotilla was seeking to challenge the blockade, not to bring aid to Gaza. if the blockade had been broken, it would have been followed by dozens, hundreds of boats. Each boat could carry dozens of missiles." So, at netanyahu's direction, the flotilla was forcibly stopped in international waters and seized with considerable loss of life by a group of inept commandos who were nearly scared off by firehoses and broomsticks--before simply starti ng to shoot unarmed civilians.

Other sources are reporting....

(Washington Post) U.S. citizen among those killed in Israeli flotilla raid

JERUSALEM -- A U.S. citizen of Turkish origin was among the nine people killed in a botched Israeli effort to stop a Turkish aid ship from reaching the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, a Turkish official said Thursday. The American citizen was identified by the Anatolia news agency as Furkan Dogan, a 19-year-old student. His body had four bullet wounds to the head and one to the chest, the news agency reported. The killing of nine Turks has created enormous tensions in the relationship between Israel and Turkey. (Read the Rest of the story here)

(Jerusalem Post) ERGODAN: Israel to lose closest ally.

Turkey is incensed over the deaths inflicted on its citizens last weekend and has made it clear by removing its ambassador that relations are going south for a long time. Even a call from President Obama did not apparently reduce the anger being felt in Ankara by both the Government and its parliament. (Read the story here)

MEANWHILE, the international community had demanded an investigation of the circumstances, which Israel has rejected out of hand, and has said that any investigation will be condicted impartially by Israel, probably with the help of its US ally.

As the Mo nitor reports, "Israeli leaders on Thursday rejected growing calls for an international investigation of its fatal intercept of the Gaza-bound "Freedom Flotilla." But they are weighing whether to include foreign observers in a domestic probe, a move that would help deflect international criticism after Israeli commandos killed nine pro-Palestinian activists. "

The article continued, "A decision to include international involvement would mark an evolution from last year, when, in the wake of the three-week offensive in Gaza, Israel resisted calls to set up its own independent investigation committee and refused to cooperate with the United Nations inquiry headed by Richard Goldstone

But part of the shift may be an Israeli perception that its prospects for vindication are greater this time around. An investigation of the isolated flotilla operation is seen as likely to be more straightforward than those that looked into the 2008-2009 Gaza war or Israel's 2002 invasion of a Palestinian refugee camp in Jenin that killed dozens.

(al-Jazeera) The Day the World became Gaza

"Since Israel's invasion and massacre of over 1,400 people in Gaza 18 months ago, dubbed Operation Cast Lead, global civil society movements have stepped up their campaigns for justice and solidarity with Palestinians."

"Governments, by contrast, carried on with business as usual, maintaining a complicit silence. Israel's lethal attack on the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza may change that, spurring governments to follow the lead of their people and take unprecedented action to check Israel's growing lawlessness."

"One of the bitterest images from Operation Cast Lead was that of smiling European Union heads of government visiting Jerusalem and patting Ehud Olmert, the then Israeli prime minister, on the back as white phosphorus still seared the flesh of Palestinian children a few miles away.Western countries sometimes expressed mild dismay at Israel's "excessive" use of force, but still justified the Gaza massacre as "self-defence" - even though Israel could easily have stopped rocket fire from Gaza, if that was its goal, by returning to the negotiated June 2008 ceasefire it egregiously violated the following November."

AT THE END.......Both sides of the ocean (except, of course, that part that includes the Washington DC area) have spoken out loudly that this foolishness and lawlessness of the Israeli's must stop if there is to be real peace. Both sides have much to atone for, but the people of Gaza are the mostly innocent pawns that feel the pain.

Israelis assault a ship in International waters and call it self-defense. US agrees while the rest of the world condemns Israel

The confrontation between Israeli commandos and activists on ships bound for Gaza has led to yet another international cry for condemnation of Israel and ending the Gaza blockade. Commandos dropped from helicopters to the ships and were met by activists who decided to protect themselves from the invasion. Scullfles ensued, and 10 activists were killed by Israeli small arms fire. Several members of the IDF storm troopers were also injured. Israel, of course claims it was only protecting itself, but who gave them the right to stop the ships in international waters? That was a criminal act, and any defense against the criminal act cannot itself be criminal. This foolishness has to stop.

Israel has an attitude that anything it does is legal, and everything it does is in self-defense. Apparently humanitarian supplies are offensive weapons--instead let the Gazans life in filth and poverty and may be they will eventually go away. Not likely to happen now or in the future.

The US, the small puppy for Israel, particularly now under Czarina Clinton at State, will let them do anything they choose. The US, in the face of the rest of the UN Security Council got a resolution watered down sufficiently that Israel was not condemned--only the event was condemned. Yet, the US claims it has standing to be peace-maker in the region. RUBBISH.

Major nations ought to remove their ambassadors, as Turkey has done, and isolate Israel further until that Israeli Government stops its genocial actions in Gaza and the West Bank, and starts real actions toward peace in the region. The festering sore in the Mideast is not Iran, or Syria, or the Hamas, it is the attitude of the successive Israeli Governments, supported by the US, that allows them to be international murders and killers, and get away with it under the protection of Uncle Sam.

The Irani Government has announced a deal brokered with Brazil and Turkey to completely circumvent the US at both the UN and in the court of world opinion. The Iranis have agreed, under the supervision of the UN Atomic Energy Agency to transfer part of its uranium to Turkey in exchange of enriched product that can be used, according to them, in a medical laboratory. Russia, China, and several other superpowers (or would-be superpowers) breathed a sigh and applauded the effort. The US continued to press for sanctions, which they will now probably not get. The PR effect alone was a significant slap in the face for Obama Diplomacy. Let's see what comes next.

Then the Great Mexican Arrives...

Felipe Calderon, the President of Mexico, our welfare state to the south, has arrived for a state dinner with Obama and retinue. Both spent part of the morning condemning the new Arizona law as unfair to Mexicans. Well, it seems to me that, whatever you think of the new law, this guy coming to the US and condemning it is incredible. If an American went the other way (Only God would know what for) he/she would be immediately facing a ten year sentence for illegal immigration--no probable cause before stopping you--racial profiling is OK in Mexico. Their jails are somewhat different from ours, and many simply disappear in them. Most are poorly treated--to keep the conversation at a higher level.

Hussain Obama loves the guy and will be feting him for dinner this evening when he should be sending him packing for interfering in our domestic policies. It's our job--our incompetant Congress that is--to fix the immigration issue, not the President of Mexico.

And finally....

Tuesday was not a great day for the Democrats. They lost and lost badly in states they needed to win. They will lose more as time goes on until they lose in November. Why? Because their greatest cheerleaders are Hussain Obama and Wall Street. The time has come--and it appears to have--that the American people are going to really take back their own government and put a lot of newcomers in DC to try to straighten out this mess that he has created. No blaming anyone else for:

4 Trillion Deficit

The worst economy in years (Perhaps since the great depression, or at least since Jimmy Carter)

The worst set of cabinet officers in history

A litany of failed campaign promises

A healthcare reform debacle that will haunt our children for years

and much, much more

What else can he do? He still has two more years of screwing up ahead. let's watch and wait. I bet his future failures will be even more spectacular.

"There's a great problem with the American Mind Set. It's based on poor reasoning and false assumptions. We seem to take for granted that the United States could use force against anyone, anywhere, at anytime, for any reason and nobody will seek to avenge their own dead. How have we come to such dangerous and foolish thinking? Our history leads us to all the wrong conclusions."

Reported in the Huffington Post by Richard Greene, this is a very probing question. The article suggests that we have a skewed idea of what terrorism is and is not. A good read for an interesting point of view.

Grandstanding the Grandstanders....

Riehl World View discusses the grandstanding of Holder and the Justice Departrment which effectively blocked the New York City Police Department from gianing any meaningful credit for the Times Square Bomb Car caper. of course, one of the major complaints of the Obama Administration was that the Bush administration was doing too much grandstanding of its own--particularly against the Democrats. You know, it must be the water in DC that causes politician's brains to go to slop shortly after they arrive to govern. read the article.

Miranda Rights or Wrongs?

The Obama Administration has a horrible record on rushing to provide Miranda rights to virtually every major suspect they have captured instead of making them enemy combatants--all the while laying the groundwork for allowing the killing of American citizens overseas who virtually anyone in the administration even thinks is involved with terrorism. Why treat a captured terrorist as a human being--many are not--they are merciless, dedicated killers with little care for human life. Send them all to Guantanamo. Even better, let them escape into Cuba. Fidel and crowd will not put up with them very long.

As Rudy Guilia ni said, "I would not have given him Miranda warnings after a couple of hours of questioning," Giuliani said on ABC's "This Week." "I would have declared him an enemy combatant. I would have asked the president to declare him an enemy combatant. We could have questioned him for a much longer period of time."

Giuliani added an emphasis on "political correctness" within the Obama Administration led to missed signals on instances of domestic terrorism, including the attempted Times Square bombing. Read his comments in the Huffington Post. By the way, Eric Holder waited only a few short minutes before he too was arguing for revised Miranda Rights, even though it was he who granted them to the Times Square would-be Bomber. What cheek.

Franklin VT is a sleepy little town of mostly farmers--with one road biscting it that DHS and its Custom's and Border Protection Service decided needs to have a bigger and better inspection station to take care of what has been estimated at 2.5 cars per hour on a good day. So, they intend one way or the other to take acreage from the Rainville VT Dairy Farm for that purpose. In doing so, Secretary Napolitano, responding to VT Senator Leahy, apparently could not care less on its effect.

Brian Rainville, the farmer, has been quoted as saying " The arrogance of it is breathtaking. Why are we being asked to make that kind of sacrifice when they can't demonstrate a public need?"

Secretary Napolitano's answer--"This is one of those things where we are trying to work with the owners to get down the footprint.. in terms of what CBP has determined it needs to actually do the kind of port improvement there--There's a certain amount, unless you do it, you might as well not do it at all." Senator Leahy says nothing needs to be done.

Napolitano's comment appears to be spurious at best, since, at the same time, the Rianville's received a letter from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). That letter said, in part: "CPB, in coordination with USACE, is writing to inform you that it will be necessary to move forward with condemnation to acquire the necessary property interests. We anticipate filing a condemnation action within the next 60 days through the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont." Now that is sincerre negotiations if I have ever heard them.

The Government offers $39K for the land they will take--about a third of its value as a hay-producing property for the dairy farm. The effect will probably be to force the farm into bankruptcy--thus allowing the Government, if it chooses, to take all the land they originally demanded from the Rainville's.

Napolitano claims she will order a public hearing. In this administration, the hearing could easily be in DC.

Still more on the Arizona Immigration Law.

We previosly reported on Mexican President Calderon's opposition to the new law. It is interesting that this guy is so loud, considering that Mexico's own immigration law is much harsher with illegal immigration being a felony and subjecting illegal immigramtds to jail terms up to 10 years. Their law, The General Law on Population (Reglamento de la ley General de Poblacion) was enacted in 2000 and has remarkably similar mandates for local police officers as is contained in the Arizona Law.

Seems like this is one issue that will not go away. Secretary Napolitano, as expected, pointed out that she had previously vetoed versions of the law, and that its enactment would 'distract DHS from its priorities in activities", due, I gues, to the possibility that DHS just might have to take custody of the illegals from the state. But then, isn't that their job anyhow?

And in Israel.....

Hillary Clinton, our energetic Secretary of State is up in arms over the possibility that Iran might bring up Nuclear Israel at the upcoming Nuclear Disarmament Conference at the UN this month. Israel and the US have carefully prevented that issue from being addressed for years and they don't want Iran and Egypt to be brining it up now. That might force Israel, a signer of the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty to formally admit its nuclear status--something neither the US or Israel wants. Israel, of course, is perfectly willing to give up nuclear weapons if (1) they get treaties of peace from everyone in the region, and (2) Iran and other arab states are denied them. Otherwise, they keep the bombs they don't admit to having in the first place. Those other countries, of course, do not have the sweet, secret deal Israel has with the US.

Picture this: You have a house for sale, and you advertise it. A person comes calling to see the house; you give her a tour; and the following day she files papers with the local government that she owns the house and land--no payment made to the original owner. Sounds crazy, right? Not so, it actually happened recently in Missoula Montana. Main Street: The Street Network reports the story in today's e-edition and it involves one Jackiya Dionea Ford, a member of the Soveriegn Citizens--a part of the growing Patriot Movement. Read the story, it is hilarious if only it weren't so serious. The F BI, by the way, is calling this type of activity domestic terrorism.

The growing situation in Arizona is just ridiculous. The Feds have done virtually NOTHING in years about the immigration problems experienced by the people there--the Dems, like the Repubs beofre them, don't quite know what to do with the illegals. Bill Clinton started to 'solve' the problem by granting wholesale citizenship to them, but that did not work. Then George Dubya took the opposite tack and tried to run them all out of the country. That didn't work either--mostly because the illegals take jobs our own people think are beneath them--they just don't want them to have benefits.

SO.... the Arizona legislature passes a bill making illegal immigration a crime in Arizona. The Governor (who replaced DHS Secretary Napolitano) signed the bill and that started the noise, protests, and whining of the Feds that only they had the right to deal with the issue not the state. The whole mess will end up in court.

I'm not in favor of unlimited illegal immigration, but I do believe that the Government that let it exist for years with only token enforcement in the big cities now has to squarely face the issue and actually do something about it. The DEMS, who usually have no guts to face serious issues--will probably want to legalize them all and hope they will vote democratic. The REPUBS, who are now importing house servants, are mostly OK with having them deported. Whicever way it works, two things have to happen here:

1- It has to be definitive, working, and fair system. That means working with Mexico and Central America as partners to improve their economies and keep their people in their country.

2- Resolve the issue of the kids. You can't just deport the parents and leave the kids--who are American citizens in limbo or here without parents. They didn't commit the crime--they were just born here and have rights.

China, aiming to get the most mileage it can from continuing discussions with Iran rather than sanctions-- which also means that China gets to continue to receive oil and gas from that country as well--seems to be creating problems for the Obama Administration in its attempts to impose significant sanctions on that country.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu has reiterated that there is still room for discussions to overcome issues around Iran's nuclear energy program, reports PressTV. Russia has been joining China in that quest.

"We have always believed that dialogue and negotiations are the best channels for resolving the Iran nuclear issue," Jiang said." Referring to the regular meetings of the five permanent members of the Security Council — Russia, China, France, the US and UK — plus Germany (P5+1), she added, "We have stated many times that the six countries launching the talks in New York does not mean that the door is shut to dialogue and negotiations."

Iran claims their nuclear conference a great success

Iran conducted its own nuclear disarmament conference, as it claimed it would, following the recent Washington Conference to which it, Syria, and North Korea were not invited. Iran continues to indicate that its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes and not for developing weapons. Few countries in the West believe that position--something only time will tell. Most recently Iran announced it would increase and extend its nuclear development program regarless of what the US wanted, and dared them, or others, such as Israel, to step in.

Al Qaeda leader in Iraq Killed in raid

Iraqi and U.S. troops, building on information provided by a captured al-Qaeda agent, killed a regional leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq in an early morning raid Tuesday. Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and Abu Ayyub al-Masri were killed in a joint operation Sunday in what has been described as a "potentially devastating blow" to al-Qaeda in Iraq. The intelligence that led to the elusive leaders' desert safehouse about six miles (10 kilometers) southwest of Tikrit came from the same source — a senior al-Qaeda operative captured last month — that produced the information leading to Tuesday's raid, according to a senior Iraqi military intelligence officer who supervised both operations. Security forces continue to put pressure on the terrorist organization following the reported deaths of these two top-ranking figures over the weekend, officials said.

The Palestinian leadership is exerting efforts to force Israel into cancelling the military decision on the expulsion of thousands of Palestinians out of the West Bank, Dr.Saeb Oraiqat, the head of negotiations in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said. The Palestinian authority would head to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to demand the issuance of a resolution to black out the Israeli military decision. Israel has reportedly started implementation of the resolution (1650) issued by the commander of the Israeli forces operating the West Bank to expel Palestinians residing in the city, claiming that they are classified as ‘infiltrators’.

Today is the day the tax man screws us in yet another round of paying for the follies of the Obama Administration. The Gallup Poll, meanwhile, in a poll conducted on April 7th produced the following on the American view of taxation:

63% of Americans expect their takes to be higher next year. 74% of Republicans, 64% of Independents and 49% of Democrats agree. If that is the case, why is there no public uprising to make Obama a one-term President? The deficit is the highest in history; forclosures are at the highest level since nearly Great Depression; banks are paying no or very little interest; unemployment is skyrocketing; and the banks are doing great. Of course, they got stimulated with billions so they could pay their large bonuses to their executives. That, my friends is the American Way!

Speaking of Obama, has anyone really counted up the number of campaign promises that he (1) has failed to keep; because (2) he blames it on the Bush Administration, or; (3) the Republicans in Congress are preventing him from being a success? Holder, the Attorney General testifed yesterday before a Senate Committee that it is the Congress' fault that Guantanamo has not closed--they have no appropriated the money. Of course, they were sort of tied up in Obamacare for a while which kept them busy.

In another poll just released (Associated Press/GfK Poll) some interesting statistics:

49% of people approve overall of the job Obama is doing (His high was 67% following his election)

44% like the way he has been handling the economy and healthcare

50% of the people now oppose the healhtcare law

76% rate the economy as poor

One third of those polled by the Roper GfK Organization and indicated they were probable voters in the fall elections considered themselves "Tea Party" adherents who were likely to vote Republican.

50% of those polled indicated they wanted to 'fire' their own congressman.

This poll was condicted between April 7 and 12 and had a margin of sampling error of 4.3 percentage points.

There is a lot to think about in these numbers. If these and others stay as upset as they currently appear, the DEMs are in for trouble in the mid-term elections. This is a particularly important election since whoever controls the state houses controls the redistricting that results from the census now on going. A lot can happen between now and November, but you can be usre the Tea Party and the Republicans are going to be remining people constantly about how congressmen and senators supported Obama inb the events that led to the numbers above.

Has anyone seen any mushroom clouds down around the convention center in Washington DC?

The air is thick down there with political posturing about what to do with the three meanies (N. Korea, Iran & Syria) that were not invited. Guess it is important that when the powers that be want to talk about you in public the best thing is not to invite you to listen. Sure works wonders in really diplomatic situations.

Madame Secretary Hillary is there, fresh from her shutdown by Obama--who indicated clearly she would NOT be in consideration for the Supreme Court. That could have been an interesting confirmation hearing--with all the history from Arkansas--Papergrate, Billygate, and the other 'gates' involving the shading dealings of she and the former President while he was Governor.

A number of other leaders are also there among the 47 countries represented that have gone nuclear. With so many (including Israel who continues to officially refuse to admit that it has the bomb), it almost seems time to give everybody a bomb and get back to detente like we had during the Cold War. As Tom Lehrer said years ago, "First we got the bomb and that was good, cause we love peace and motherhood.." Try to tell that to anyone who has to navigate in the District while this charade is going on this week.

When you get a chance, read the impassioned diatribe by Obama about how bin laden would dearly love to get a bomb. Frankly he probably wants a bomb more than we want to get him. Neither side has yet competantly achieved its desires.

Washington, DC. You just have to love the scenes going on around the AIPAC meeting now underway in Washington. (PS: The clue is that they always seem to have some kind of meeting after Washington decides not to agree with the Israeli Government over some issue)

In any event, here is Hillary Clinton extolling the 'rock solid' support of the adminstration for Israeli Security while continuing to demand that the settlement buulding in East Jerusalem stops. Ofcourse, they are not going to stop the building efforts because that would possibly enable the Palestinians to get their land back for the capital of their country--something decidedly against Israeli policy. So they dance around the issue and us AIPAC to pressure the congressmen and senators they have in their financial back pocket to exert pressure on the obama administration for them.

Now the Obama people, including the President, know they can only go so far, but this president does not go all out to extol everything the Israelis do like his ass-kissing predecessor George Bush who assumed that anything they do is simply defense of their nation--like the Gaza genocide and massacres.

The next set of steps are today when the Israeli PM Netanyahu meets in a private meeting in the Oval Office where he will promise that no more public announcements of building will be made that will embarass Washington. In direct words, the Israelis are going to dpo whatever they want, and Washington will allow it as long as nothing is announced. Sounds a bit like "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" to me. But that's just good politics I guess.

London. The Brits have decided to expel the local head of Mossad from Britain as a reaction to the use of fraudulent British passports by the Mossad to kill the Palestinian leader in Dubai a short while ago. Better message than the ass-kissing going on in Washington.

This is not the first time that the Israelis have had their hands slapped for forgery of British Passports. Former PM Margaret Thatcher also expelled Israeli diplomats in 1986. That time 14 diplomats went home and the Mossad Station was closed. Don't know what will happen this time until Millibrand, the Foriegn Secretary speaks to parliament today.

Beijing. Google has stopped censoring its internet pages for the Chinese Government, and re-directed its customers to their Hong Kong site. This does not mean the end to censorship, but it will highlight the fact that the Commie Goverment will do the censoring now instead of hiding behind Google.

Over the past several years, both through this blog and my books, I have attempted to stress that there is far more to terrorism than a few individuals laying mines and arranging the detonation of IED's. Acts of terrorism have several attributes that are important to recognize so that steps can be taken to mitigate the risks involved.

First, there is the nature of terrorism itself. The definition in Webster says, "The systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion." That means terrorism occurs in many places beyond established battlefields--in fact, it clearly can make the traditional battlefield an obsolete anachronism of the past.

Second, the asnychronous character of terrorism needs to be considered. There are no 'rules' to terrorism. of course, there are many books from mostly weekend and armchair warriors that propose to 'teach' people terrorism--many call it 'urban warfare' or some other glorifc term that still means the same thing--injure and kill as many innocent people as possible.

Third, the sense that terrorism can be practiced by anyone, in any given circumstance, and under any conditions needs to be examined. We have seen too many highly educated people turning to terrorist activities to disregard this aspect of the problem.

My first book, Minihan's Dilemma, sets the tone for my thoughts on terrorism as it is practiced--not as it is publicized in the media. I see the conflict among parties as one of two intelligent and dedicated groups (or more in some cases) who have what they perceive to be urgent needs and complaints that require some solution. I also see a number of highly intelligent people on both sides applying their skills to defeat the other. This is certainly true of the American--Bernie Minihan-- and is equally true of his protagonist Fatool. Each has been schooled and gained experience in their 'brand' of terrorist/anti-terrorism actions. Both believe they are right; both believe they know the other's game plan; both believe they will win over time. yet, the best they can do is essentially a draw. Why?

Looking back to the Minihan-Fatool duels, it is clear that both rely on rules of engagement--but that those rules are vastly different. Minihan relies on established practice of an organized agency--bending them as he chooses, but keeping those rules as the central pole of his actions. Fatool, conversely, has the zeal of his religious beliefs, which are often contradictory, and is limited only by his ability to construct scenarios and actions that meet his purpose--for Fatool there are 'rules' unless he creates them.

What allows the success that Minihan achieves--however fleeting--is his ability to try to put himself in Fatool's head and see what Fatool sees, think like Fatool thinks, and move to counteract what he perceives might be Fatool's course of action. As they act and react against each other, they learn from each other, respect each other, and continue to operate. neither becomes complacent--instead, they adapt and change into new ansychronous behaviors that require constant rethinking by the other.

Applying my views on Minihan to the more general view of terrorism described above, it is clear to me that much of our policy to date has been to try to establish parameters within which we expect terrorist activities to be bounded, and we are not being successful in that endeavor. For that matter, nor are the Europeans, the Israeli's or anyone else who claim to have a handle on this issues involved. Instead, we apply palliatives to the problem to make it look less dangerous, such as reacting to specific situations (We take off shoes in airports because of Reed, etc.) instead of doing the harder work of looking at broader trends and trying to gain an undestanding of how the Arab mind (or any other mindset which spawns terrorists in any country, including some of our own allies) acts and reacts when stimulated.

One final point is that terrorism is generally a cycle. One action produces a reaction, and another action and another reaction--until people have forgotton the origin of the conflict. Most of the time, such as the Israeli airstrikes in Gaza this morning, we simply start the cycle moving again without regard to consequences. In other instances, we try to apply other pressures, such as sanctions, to force a change in attitude or action. In still others, we think that reliance on International bodies, such as the UN, will, by their nature, force change. Witness only the reaction of Iran to UN and US threats to see the wisdom of that approach.

Breaking the cycle is the way to stop terrorism. That requires some honest broker(s) who will listen to the parties with respect and not condescension; have the ability to put the parties together in discussion, and not in other rooms or other cities; and who will listen to ALL of the issues in trying to fashion a solution. Real solutions take time and until they are apparent, terrorism will continue to be a useful way to bring issues to the public. it will go away in the mainstream when its value as a method declines.

Mike McConnell, former NSA Director and Director of National Intelligence, believes we are losing the Cyber-war on Terrorism, according to an article that will appear in the Washington Post this Sunda (Feb 28). "The United States is fighting a cyber-war today, and we are losing. It's that simple. As the most wired nation on Earth, we offer the most targets of significance, yet our cyber-defenses are woefully lacking," McConnell Says in his article.

"The problem is not one of resources; even in our current fiscal straits, we can afford to upgrade our defenses. The problem is that we lack a cohesive strategy to meet this challenge," he continues.

"The stakes are enormous. To the extent that the sprawling U.S. economy inhabits a common physical space, it is in our communications networks. If an enemy disrupted our financial and accounting transactions, our equities and bond markets or our retail commerce -- or created confusion about the legitimacy of those transactions -- chaos would result. Our power grids, air and ground transportation, telecommunications, and water-filtration systems are in jeopardy as well. " Read the entire story here.

This story is a must read for those of you who really want to understand the various facets of the overall problem.

Yemen comes to the forefront

Another pressing concern of the world powers is the growing ascendency of the al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen, reported the LA Times earlier this month. Their headline said, "The group, Al Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula, is the 'foremost concern' of U.S. intelligence officials, who cite the attempted Christmas Day jetliner bombing and the attack at Ft. Hood." It is this group that seems to have the newest group of tentacles that are menacing several countries without apparent restraint. The Yemeni Government is doing just enough to harass them to keep the US and others off their back, but not enough to really slow down or eliminate the threat.

"Al Qaeda's offshoot in Yemen has emerged as the "foremost concern" for U.S. spy agencies since the group was tied to two attacks in the United States last year, according to a sweeping assessment of the global terrorism threat issued Tuesday by the nation's top intelligence officer.

Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair told a Senate panel that American spy agencies have intensified surveillance of the Al Qaeda affiliate's operations amid concern that the group -- once considered a regional menace -- is focused on the "recruitment of Westerners or other individuals with access to the U.S. homeland."

Several perspectiuves are emerging from current operations in Afghanistan--aside from the military actions.

An Australian view was provided by Julie Bishop, Deputy Opposition Leader of the Australian Parliament in the Sydney Daily herald on February 24th, in which she said, " The recent collapse of the Dutch Government over its commitment to the NATO-led forces in Afghanistan is an example of the inevitable tension that arises in Western democracies between a government’s long-term commitment to a military deployment, public opinion and the electoral cycle.

Public pressure inevitably increases if there are ongoing casualties and a perceived slow rate of progress in not only winning a war but in the requisite reconstruction efforts and nation-building during and after a conflict. The Dutch Prime Minister’s decision to extend the deployment of Dutch troops in Afghanistan beyond the planned withdrawal date in September, causing the Labor Party to pull out of the ruling coalition and sending the nation to the polls in three months, is the latest illustration of this tension."

She continued, "This will impact on Australia as our troops are stationed in Uruzgan province in southern Afghanistan, where the Dutch have played a lead role since 2006, and have established a positive presence and image with the Afghani people.

At a time when the United States is increasing its offensive in Afghanistan and urging other nations to follow, the challenge for NATO is to ensure the situation in the Netherlands does not have a ripple effect among other Western nations contributing to the international deployment." Read the entire story here.

In an interview with the international Analyst Network, Dr. Athanasio Drougos discusses the financial and other impacts of global terrorism and says, "The security of the western interests is directly challenged by the deep and strident anti-western policies and tactics of certain countries. For instance, Iran-Syria-Cuba-Sudan, and I would add Burma-North Korea, and Venezuela. They are state-sponsors of terrorism. They are rogue regimes, involved in a wide variety of terrorist and other criminal activities. "

He continues, " The state-sponsorship means that fully and ruthlessly supports terrorist groups as proxies to advance their anti-western interests. They support transnational networks to wage asymmetric-hybrid operations against states."

"On the other hand, those trends require a broader and joint counterterrorism strategy and response, including preemptive/preventive measures against the state sponsors of political violence. The western world should upgrade even more the level of intelligence-sharing and studying in depth the “asymmetrical behavior” of the current enemies." Read the interview here.

The so-called "War on Terrorism" is not a simple prospect for resolution. Rather, there are many tentacles, each of which when cut simply grows anew somewhere else. Our challenge is to kill the body in such a way that it does not survive. That may not be accomplished completely through military means as seems to be the case today.

Met in January to authorize killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai City in Early January

Ha'aretz is reporting in today's editions that Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu authorized the killing of Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in early January at Mossad HQ. If true, this is the first direct confirmation of Mossad involvement in what has not become an international tempest in a teapot--particularly over the use of forged passports.

Meanwhile, the EU is still speaking out, saying that events are unfolding that may hurt Israel in its relationships with the EU and its members over time. The passport issue is yet another incudent that is causing friction since the invasion of Gaza. read that story here.

In other news, the Jerusalem Post is reporting on Australian problems with Israel earlier concerning another passport-related effort in which the Australian Government warned the Israeli ambassdor not to have the Mossad involved in falsifying Australian passports. Quoting the Australian--an Aussie media outlet, the story comes out that the Australians were warned by the Palestinian Representative in Australia that Mossad was active.

"The Australian quoted Ali Kazak as saying that he had warned the Howard government of the problem back in 2004, and that he had been "vindicated by confirmation that cloned Australian passports" had been used in the assassination of Hamas terrorist Mahmoud al-Mabhouh.

"I told you but you didn't act on the warning," he was quoted as saying. "And you've put Australian lives at risk."

He added that he was sure that Mossad agents had killed the Hamas operative. "Yesterday the Israeli members of parliament were praising the head of Mossad for what he did - for assassinating the Hamas leader in Dubai," Kazak said.

This is turning into a real mess. Israel is already trying to reduce the impact by feeding stories that intelligence work continues as usual despite the actions in Dubai. yet, the US is particularly silent this time, since it normally rushes to Israel's defense. perhaps they are taking a wait-and-see attitude.

al Jazeera is reporting in iths electronic (English) edition today the identification of four more suspects in the killing of Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh, who was found dead in a luxury hotel in Dubai on January 20. This time the passports were from Britain and Ireland. Both countries have made it clear, as has the European Community (EU) that they believe Mossad, the Israeli version of Murder Inc. was involved.

BBC, in its edition today indicated, " At least 15 people using European passports have been identified as suspects in the case.

The British Foreign Office has confirmed it has received information from the UAE about another two suspects carrying British passports, bringing the total number of British passports used to eight.

The Irish Foreign Ministry has said it too has been informed about two more suspects who used Irish passports with genuine numbers but fake names and photographs.

A total of five Irish identities were used.

Dubai authorities had already released the identities of 11 people who travelled under the false passports. French and German identities, as well as British and Irish ones, were used.

The UK government denies it had any prior knowledge of the fake British passports being used, although shadow foreign secretary William Hague said it was "entirely possible" the government had been alerted. "

Some Israeli ndews outlets had brief notes on the incident as well.

Ha'aretz, in Tuesday editions, said, "The Mabhouh case has knocked the bottom out of the argument that Israel will be safer if the worst of the freed terrorists are exiled to Damascus as part of a deal for Shalit. The huge effort put into assassinating Mabhouh in Dubai and the diplomatic and security risks - surely calculated ones - taken by whoever did it are indications of the man's standing in the world of terrorism. Exile, it transpires, can be an ideal hothouse for breeding arch-terrorists." It is possible that Mossad killed the one man that could have forced the release of the young soldier, Shalit, taken during the Israeli invasion of Gaza months ago. The irony of that possibility is too huge to ponder right now.

The Israeli government, by the way, has refused to either admit or deny its involvement, saying they maintain an 'obtuse' policy in that regard. Some would call it needed, others would call it insulting; just as some will justify the murder while others will call it assassination.

The Jerusalem Post had a longer article than most and discussed primarily how the EU at its monthly meeting condemned the use of the forged passports, but refrained from condemning Israel. Israeli foreign minister Libermen attended the brussles meetings, and discussed the issues privately with several fellow FM's.

British Foreign Secretary Miliband was more direct than others, as the J-Post reprted, “It’s vital that relations between states are conducted on a basis that is clear and transparent,” Miliband said. “It’s also important to say that Israel – in some ways above all countries – has the most to gain from a Middle East that is based on the rule of law and that’s why I think that it’s right to take these issues to the highest level in Israel.” Others were not so kind or direct.

This story still has a while to run before the public, hopefully, forgets it and gets on with other matters. However, the length of its existence is squarely on the shoulders of the Israeli Government. They could end it anytime with the truth if they are involved. Don't hold your breath waiting.

Interpol is now involved in the search for the killer of Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Mabhouh. last week in Dubai, reports Ha'aretz, a Jerusalem media source. "Interpol should issue a warrant to help locate and arrest the head of Israel's spy agency Mossad if the organization was responsible for the killing of a Hamas militant in Dubai, the emirate's police chief said on Thursday.

In comments to be aired later on Dubai TV, police chief Dahi Khalfan Tamim called for Interpol to issue "a red notice against the head of Mossad ... as a killer in case Mossad if proved to be behind the crime, which is likely now." A "Red Notice" connotes the highest level of Interpol activity, and is similar to the US FBI "Most Wanted" Listing.

Placing the possibility of a Red Notice being issued for the Director of Mossad is only the most recent action by Dibai, whose Foreign Ministry called in the Israeli Ambassador late last week over the matter--something that indicated at the time that Dubai seriously considered this killing to be a Mossad act.

Also calling in Israeli ambassors were Britain, France, and Ireland, who each demanded to know what the Israeli Government knew about the use fraudlent passports by the killers, and to state in strong terms that they would not put uith such tactics by anyone--including Mossad--that used this type of ruse in the future, CNN reported.

Other media sources also reported on this issues involved in the killing, which has taken second place to the diplomatic angst surrounding it. These included Reuters, which also called for the arrest of the Mossad chief if Mossad were involved; The LA Times, which reported the statements of the Dubai Chief of Police who implicated Mossad days ago; and YNET News, a Jerusalem-based outlet that reported on both the Interpol Red Notice and original Guardian article that started the political furor.

It remains to be seen if Interpol will issue the Red Notice for the Chief of Mossad.

In other international News.....

CNN reports the upcoming meeting with the Dalai Lama at the White House. "President Obama will meet the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, on Thursday at the White House despite strong objections from the Chinese government.

The meeting has the potential to complicate Sino-U.S. tensions further, which have been rising in recent months.

China has warned the meeting will certainly damage ties with Washington.

"It will seriously undermine the Sino-U.S. political relations," Zhu Weiqun, a senior Communist Party leader in charge of ethnic and religious affairs, said recently. "We will take corresponding action to make relevant countries see their mistakes."

Caning in Malaysia...

The Christian Science Monitor is reporting the first canings in Malaysia for adultery. They reported, "Malaysia caned three Muslim women convicted of adultery by a court of Islamic law, the first time that women in the multi-faith country have been subject to the punishment.

Last August, a similar sentence against a Muslim woman caught drinking was deferred amid complaints that shariah courts had overstepped the mark. That punishment is still pending.

Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein said he wanted to publicize the case of the three women, who also received short jail terms, because of “too much hype” over the earlier case.

“People are saying that no woman has been caned before… today I am announcing that we have already done it,” he told a press conference. He added that the women didn’t suffer any cuts or bruises from the caning and had “repented” for their offenses. Four men were also convicted of “illicit sex” and sentenced to whipping.

Wonder what the ACLU would think of that here in the good ole US of A?

Last week, the Israeli Government responded to the Goldstone Report again--first denying deny that they had committed war crimes, and then going through a charade that even their own media saw through quickly over phosphorus bombs in Gaza.

As expected on the anniversary of the feeing of Aushewitz by the allies in WWII, Israel again denied they had committed war crimes in Gaza and demanded that the UN stop its further investigation as suggested by the Goldstone Report approved by the General Assembly. They will submit their report, but take no further action.

Then, later in the week, it became even more curious as Israel first denied that they had used phosphorus in Gaza; backtracked as said they did, but that it was legal to do so; and then announced they were disciplining tow generals for the use of the bombs. Their final bizarre act was to deny that they were disciplining the officers for their use of phosphorus. All very interesting.

This week, the replies messaging turns to Hamas, which today (2-3) has decided that the hundreds of rockets sent into israel were not war crimes at all. As reported in the Jerusalem Post:

"In the aftermath of the war, most criticism has been leveled at Israel, charging it with using disproportionate force and the destruction in Gaza. About 1,400 Gazans were killed, many of them civilians. The UN commission said Israel intentionally targeted civilians, an allegation Israel hotly denied.

The Hamas report will be submitted to the UN later this week, said the official, Mohammed al-Ghoul. Its argument is that rockets fired from Gaza were meant to hit military targets, but because they are unguided, they hit civilians by mistake.

Palestinian terrorists fired some 800 rockets and mortar shells into Israel during the war, killing three civilians, wounding about 80 and slightly injuring more than 800.

Hundreds of rockets pelted the border town of Sderot, where there are no military bases. They also hit cities as far away as Beersheba, about 40 kilometers from Gaza. Most Israelis in rocket range stayed in bomb shelters, avoiding further casualties."

You have to give Hamas credit for bravado. How does killing a water fountain in Sderot turn out to be rockets aimed a military targets? As indicated, they intend to submit their report, but undertake no further investigation.

That leaves everything up to the Secuity Council where, due to the diligence of the US in devfending everything Israeli, there will be no further invetigation of what really happened.

Anwar al-Awlaki, an American citizen currently in Yemen, is suspected of being involved in both the killings at Ft. Hood by Major Hasan and the aborted airline bombing in Detroit that resulted only in damage to the bomber himself. Democracy Now: The War & Peace Report on National Public Radio, is reporting in its news today that the CIA is actively trying to determine if it can legally kill an American citzen overseas--in this case in Yemen, with the permission of the president. al-Awlaki has been charged with no crime, but is widely believed by the intelligence community to be deeply involved in al-Qaeda activities in Yemen.

While the CIA has been involved in political killings for years, they don't apparently routinely kill American citizens--and for good reason. Even the CIA should know that in a democracy, we should at least charge them with something more than inuendo before killing them. Maybe even give them a quick trial that has no witnesses and the accused is not able to see the testimony against them (My god, that sounds like a military commission). Oh well, I guess that's how a demoncracy operates in the real world.

Israel to Condemn the Goldstone Report AGAIN

Israel is preparing for a full-scale assault on the Goldstone Report, using the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Aushwitz as its backdrop. Israeli ministers have been frequently calling the report anti-semetic for days--even weeks--and are working furiously to gain public support for their approach. So far, the US has made no formal comments.

Israel has decided that the report is 'just another example of ant-semitic behavior' which really mystifies me. How can a report that condemns both groups--both semitic groups by the way--and demands only that they conduct real, open investigations of what actually happened during the invasion of Gaza be anti-semitic? The Israeli Army has already conducted its investigation and simply dismissed any evidence found as unreliable--even the statements of its own soldiers on the scene, most of whom were reprimanded for criticizing their leadership. The Palestinians, who were also criticized for their bombings, asked the UN for assistance which was mostly denied by vetoes in the Security Council. However, the General Assembly passed the resolution supporting actions under the Goldstone Report.

Put your money on the US jumping on the Israeli bandwagon when they are told to do so, and to come out sgtrongly against the Report on cue.

And in Iraq...

Chemical Ali -- Ali Hassan al-Majid -- one of the men on the deck of cards issued to soldiers in Iraq, and a cousin of former dictator Sadaam Hussein is dead by hanging--and good riddance to the man who thought gassing the Kurds was the way to go. Hopefully, when he arrives wherever he gets, there will be no virgins waiting for him.

Israeli Police arrest protestors who object to the theft of Palestinian land by illegal settlers.

The Israeli Government has now developed a new tack to continue settlements, and, at the same time, reduce the number of protestors over illegal confiscation of Arab land in the West Bank. Midnight raids into homes, and brutal arrests are just the thing to reduce protests by anyone opposed to the continued illegal confiscation of land by a Government that claims to be a democracy.

According to the Washington Post today, Israeli spokesmen say the protests are illegal and they have even arrested many of their own citizens--including the head of the Israeli Civil Rights organization to prove their point.

Since the summer, dozens of Palestinian and Israeli activists have been picked up, including those organizing weekly protests against Israel's West Bank separation barrier as well as others advocating international boycotts of Israeli goods.

Some of the Palestinians were released without charge only after weeks and months of questioning.

The arrests come at a time of shifting tactics in the protests against Israel's occupation of the West Bank and annexation of east Jerusalem, territories the Palestinians want for their future state. Israel captured both from Jordan in the 1967 Mideast war.

The violence of the second Palestinian uprising, with mass marches and violent attacks, has given way to carefully calibrated protests and legal action in which Israeli and Palestinian activists now often work together.

The main protest efforts are Friday demonstrations against the West Bank barrier in the Palestinian villages of Bilin and Naalin and vigils in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheik Jarrah, where Palestinians have been evicted.

There appears to be an increased police crackdown on the protests with greater numbers of activists being arrested.

In the West Bank, troops fire tear gas, stun grenades, and live rounds - even midnight arrest raids - to disperse anti-barrier protesters. Israel says the protests are illegal, and the harsh tactics are a response to stone-throwing and violent rioting.

In east Jerusalem, police have arrested some 70 demonstrators during marches in recent months, according to Israeli rights groups. On Friday's protest, police arrested 17 Israelis, including Hagai Elad, head of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel.

Meanwhile, the Jerusalem Post is calling the continued isolation and mistreatment of the citizens in the Gaza Strip "Collective Punishment, pointing out the recent report by Amnesty International on the continuing blockages that are letting few trucks of humanitarian supplies through to the Strip. Israel claims there has been an increase in traffic, which Amnesty International only partially accepts. Gaza presently has an over 40% unemployment rate, due primarily to the intense shelling that left Gaza City nearly destroyed.

What is there to make of a country that claims to be peacefuk--but only if you agree with them and, of course, are not palestinian

Catchphrases, Criticism and Fences -- The pieceparts of terrorism and politics

"Lawyering Up" - the latest fad phrase. Several columnists over the past few days have been describing the decision of the Justice Department to follow a civil court route for the Detroit would-be terrorist who only succeeded in blowing up his own crotch--giving him Miranda rights instead of combatant status as 'Lawyering Up.' Now Senatory McCain and Lieberman are echoing the phrase on the talk shows.

Basically, when a terror suspect is found the intelligence people get first crack, but this became a political footbal when Obama apparently made the decision he was going to civilian court. He was read his rights and, as soon as they got to lawyer, he clammed up. He had been speaking constantly as they took him off the plane, put out the fire in his pants, and took him away initially. Perhaps it was a reacton to the pain.

Bottom line--someone who should be at Guantanamo, or some equivalnt place, being waterboarded is now being treated to the lap of relative luxury as a simple criminal suspect. That gives the politicians the time to get to the shows and overuse a trite catch phrase like 'lawyering up.' And they do it well.

Then there are the critics..

It seems that Sen. Harry Reid, in earlier times, referred to the current President as a 'light skinned negro', and someone who didn't event speak like a negro unless he wanted to'. These words he said in 2008 during the heat of the campaign, and he has now apologized for doing so, even as Republicans call for his removal as the majority leader. Naturally, the Democrats won't stand for that, and won't even call for an inquiry. That's too bad--it would clear the air on the affair. There must not be much happening in DC right now, if the republican researchers have nothing else to do but research historical quotes.

Finally, the fences...

Complementary to the deep piles Egypt is putting into the ground along their border with Israel, the Israelis are now planning a fence above the ground to further prevent terrorist infiltration. That will cost a lot of money and probably not prevent a single rocket from being fired. perhaps they should just do what the UN said to do a long time ago--give the Palestinians their land and let them form their own state. perhaps they might actually recognize Israel then.

In a recent interview on BBC, Ted Koppel, news reporter for ABC News, made the observation that recent activities by the White House to publicize both the apprehension of the last would-be bomber and the failings of the intelligence community was 'overkill'.

Here, I have to agree, but for perhaps different reasons. Koppel was apparently referring to the attempts by the White House to contain the damage from a whole series of events--the capper of which was the attempted bombing on the Northwest jet to Detroit.

However, I believe Koppel missed the real point here. That point is what the bombers and other terrorists really want from their acts. Some, it is true, are religious zealots who truly believe they are doing the will of God. Most however, just want the publicity that surrounds every attempt to do damage. As well, they want the agitation and unrest that follows because they know the world's media will eat it up with gusto--extending what would have been its normal life with interminable dissections of information they are often not sure is even correct. The terrorists get to instill both publicity and fear in people's hearts. Those are the true results of announcing and amplifying every event that occurs.

The Obama administration is contributing to this as well. They have no discernible intention of punishing or dismissing anyone who has been involved in the lagtest series of fiascos. Obama coming out with his 'buck stops here' speech is decidely NOT reminiscent of Harry Truman, nor will he and his cronies ever be close to the quality of a Truman presidency.

What needs to happen in a ratchetting down of publicity on these events--putting them in their true perspective, and then moving on.

Israel to pay damages to UN for buildings in Gaza. Israel has agreed to pay over $10 Million to the UN for damage to its buildings in Gaza, The Wall Street Journal is reporting today. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who was in Israel during one of the incidents, demanded $11.2 million from Israel for damage to two U.N. schools and a World Food Program warehouse in Gaza City. The family of a driver of a U.N. truck, who the U.N. says was killed as a result of Israeli fire, would be compensated, the U.N. official said. Israel had argued shortly after the attacks that they were resp0onding to sustained gunfire from inside the facilities, although there was no independent confirmation of those reports.

Meanwhile, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that several rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel overnight. No damage was reported. The rockets exploded over the Negev, according to the JTA Report. Israel, in response, dropped leaflets from fighters over Gaza warning people to stay clear of the border walls. There was no report of possible retaliation. The Palestinian Popular Resitance Committees claimed responsibility.

The Galloway convoy arrives in Gaza with humanitarian supplies. The convoy led by British MP George Galloway arrived at Raffa today with humanitarian supplies after a nearly week-long delay caused by the insistence of Egyptian authorities that part of the convoy enter through an Israeli gate since it had food on board, rather than medical or other non-food supplies. The convoy leaders refused, leading to a stalemate. During the wait, over 50 drivers and other support personnel were beaten in clashes with the Egyptian police and Army, and one Egyptian soldier killed.

The convoy, dubbed Viva Palestinia, left Britain nearly 60 days ago. Galloway, on arrival apologized to the waiting Gazans for their delay in getting the much needed suppliues to the Strip. They have 48 hours to disctribute the supplies at various locations in Gaza.

Israeli officers cancel trip to Britain over arrest fears. A group of israel senior military officers cancelled their planned trip to Britain over fears that thay might face arrest over Israeli actions in Gaza. Other Israeli officials have already been harassed, including the Foreign Minister, on similar charges being brought by activists under the 4th Geneva Conve ntion. That convention allows charges to be brought in any state where egregious violations of international law are seen and can be prosecuted in a jurisdiction other than the locale where the actions occured. So far, the British courts have issued one warrent, but no court has agreed to actually hear a case.

Unfortunately, no one in Britain has stepped forward to bring similar charges against any Palestinians, leading one to suggest that these actions are more political and agttention getting than serious in nature.

"When a suspected terrorist is able to board a plane with explosives on Christmas Day, the system has failed in a potentially disasterous way." Obama press onference Jan 5, 2010

OK, so Obama has said that the lack of proper intelligence gathering and analysis caused the failure, "failure to connect the dots", he called it. The real question is what will he really do about it. There are some new policies in place--really extensions of stuff already there that failed to find the bomb on the Delta jet to Detroit--but what else does he plan to do? At least Bill Clinton would have blown up Yemen. Instead, Yemen will be punished by not having any more prisoners coming to them from Guantanamo. No mention of cutting of assistance of any kind--no mention of what he wants Yemen to do about the terrorist schools, and nobody fired for the stupidity that has revolving around his administration for two weeks.

Then there is the CIA...

Last week seven agents died from a weapon in the hands of a terrorist who, it turns out, was a double agent--working for al-Qaeda and, the CIA hoped, turned to work for us. Only he wasn't turned, and apparently the CIA didn't even know that he was a double agent. Two important questions here.

1- Why didn't they know about his double agency?

2-If they didn't know, then how could they have found out his real status so quickly?

There is a real cover-up here. Either the CIA knew or didn't, but they probably did and just thought they could turn him to their camp, and died for their efforts. This needs careful and candid investigation by some competant agency OTHER THAN the CIA itself.

President Obama is having two very important meetings today of his senior advisors--a marked departure from his daily meeti ngs with Harry Reed and Nancy Pelosi on healthcare-- although they are on the agenda to discuss how to complete the healthcare proposal by avoiding a set of conference sessions between the houses of Congress in favor of simply working out the details between the three of themselves. The final result should be interesting. The ultimate intent is to get a passable bill--preferably without recorded votes--that the legislators can use in their home states to win re-election.

Bottom line here--healthcare is simply much less important than getting re-elected if you are a Democrat. Remember that in November.

Second, the National Security Council will meet to discuss the terrorism threat and the continuing failings of DHS as the nation's keeper of the peace. He hasn't met formally with them for some time, preferring more available advice from experts like VP Joe Biden (Who, you may remember has visited Afghanistam and lived-so he is an expert on the war in every sense of the word) and others who are leading him in the right direction to deny the war exists to reduce exposure. They have several issues on the agenda, to include what to do about the Yemeni citizens at Guantanamo who really should not be released back into the terrorist population in that country.

I wonder if obama will forget which meeting he is at? perhaps the political prisonersat Guantanamo will get free health care, and the indigent will go to Yemen/ Who knows.

Yemeni security forces apparently 'lost track of' six trucks heavily laden with arms and ammunition, causing the closing of US, UK, and French Embassies in the Capital Sanaa, reports the BBC in its today's editions. The news reports said, "It (the closings) comes after threats from an al-Qaeda wing linked to an alleged plot to blow up a transatlantic plane over the US. Yemeni government sources, meanwhile, said their forces had shot dead two militants north of Sanaa."

"A Yemen-based group called Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (Aqap) last week urged attacks on "crusaders" in embassies, as it claimed an alleged attempt to bomb a US airliner on Christmas Day. "

"The US shut its embassy in Sanaa on Sunday, citing "ongoing threats" by the militant organisation, and the UK followed suit. On Monday, France shut its Yemen embassy, Japan suspended its consular service in Sanaa, and Spain restricted public access to its mission there. "

The Yemeni Government, meanwhile, is reporting the killing of two suspected al-Qaeda leaders near Sanaa, reports al-Jazeera in today's editions. In that report, the Foriegn Minister, Abu Baker al-Qirbi, commented, " Yemen is going to deal with terrorism in its own way, out of its own interests, " al-Qirbi said in reponse to a rumor that the US might intervene. "I don't think it (the US) will counterfire. The negative impact on Yemen is if there is direct intervention of the US and this is not the case."

There is much media attention on Yemen these days as they seem to be becoming a focal point of terrorist training and events, such as the attempted bombing of the Delta jet headed from Amsterdam to Detroit. That government will be under increasing pressure to clean up its act, especially by Saudi Arabia which, while it doesn't much like American bases and troops, does like the security, funds, and arms that US leases provide.

Palestinian president Abbas met with Egyptian President Mubarak this past weekend, and both leaders apparently agreed to demand cessation of further settlement buiulding before a new round of negotiations with Israel will occur.

Reuters, in today's editions, has Abbas suggesting that a summit be held between Israel, The Palestinians, and Egypt as a means of moving the talks off dead center. He does not want to have another meeting with Netanyahu that appears to leave the palestinians nothing while Israel gets more publicity. Nor does he want to seem soft before elections that might reduce the infuence of Hamas in Gaza and the West Bank. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and intelligence chief Omar Suleiman are due to go to Washington on Friday for talks on the proposed initiative. mediator former Senator George Mitchell is also scheduled to go to the Middle East Shortly, but any chances of his gaining broader acceptance of negotiations without a stoppage of the settlements is unlikely.

Then in Dubai....

The largest skyscraper in the world is scheduled to open this week in Dubai. The Burj Dubai Tower stands at 2,625 feet and will be the tallest in the world. That may not be the final height. Total cost - $20 Billion.

Happy New Year to all. let's see what is happening on this aupicious occasion.

Rallies first...

You may recall the Iran rally in Tehran the other day that was decidedly pro-government. Of course, they provided a bus, lunch, and a bullet if you didn't attend 'voluntarilly.' Thousands who did not want to die chanted fervently in favor of the idiots running that country.

Now North Korea has been quick to respond. Huge rallies came out for New Year's day in the capital, Pyongyang and elsewhere. They also provided a bus, free lunch, a flag, and a picture of the 'dear leader' to wave. Wonder if they borrowed the buses from Iran?

The South Koreans hel their own rally near Panmunjom, the militarized border to protest the NK leadership. The poster says "Murderer Kim Jong-il."

In any case, the usual New Years message from the leadership, broadcast in the three major parrty daily newspapers (Which everyone apparently reads fervently while they are starving) proclaimed that it was time to cease hostilites and increase friendship with the US. Must be very cold in Korea right now--they usually start this kind of thing as people begin to both starve and freeze. Only the leadership and the army gets sufficient food, fuel, and other comforts. That's how 'democratic republics' work.

We should give neither country any compassion or assistance. Everytime we do, they lie their way out of agreements, or run a few cheap rockets into the air as if that is scaring anyone, other than themselves. Then they put themselves on alert as if they are about to be attacked. The media makes heyday out of it and the resulting publicity gets everyone edgy even more.

On to Israel...

China View, A Chinese online journal is reporting a story that Israel has decided to apply its version of the Bush Doctrine--grab someone, hold them without trial, deny them rights, and then hold them even after they get a trial--and is applying it to those that were arrested during the recent Gaza incursion and massacre. The Israeli parliament passed an 'illegal warrior' law that apprently allows them to do this., Two are being held from the lebanon incursion for no other reason to have bargaining chips on the soldier still held there. The Palestinian Authority (PA) has been complaining to international bodies about the law, but to no avail.

An then to the inept would-be plane bomber..

President Obama has now decided, apparently on good evidence, that al-Qaeda is reponsaible for aborted bombing to the Delta jet coming into Detroit a week ago. You tube is showing a video, shown below on this issue.

Obama has also, according to the Associated Press, promised the alleged bomber a fair trial. That remains to be seen.

What a grerat start to the New Year. And, wehaven't even heard from Hillary Clinton or Jimmie Carter yet.

The trigger to the decade's woes did not come out of the sky over
Manhattan and Washington in 2001. There were many precursors, but they
were ignored or misinterpreted. Like the bombings in Madrid and London,
these attacks brought the best out of ordinary people – witness the
heroism of the New York firefighters – and the worst out of their
governments. Al-Qaida's attacks may have looked and felt like a declaration of war (the Guardian said so in its headline) but that, in retrospect, was the least appropriate reaction.

The quote above from today's issue of the Guardian (UK), along with the rest of the article that follows tells an important story and describes a perspective of the "War on Terror" that we don't often see in major media. Nonetheless, it is an important story, and bears quite a bit of thought.

Most of us who think in the mainstream (at least I like to think I do) would agree that the bombing in new York, Washington, London, Khobar, and elsewhere deserved a response that would inhibit or prevent future actions. Regrettably, those reactions resulted in no appreciable decrease in terror activities, and an appreciable increase in the types, intensity, and results of more recent activities. Just today (12/31) there are reports of a bomber blowing up a soldier and eight CIA agents, including the base chief, in Afghanistan. To most, these are men who died for their country, and to others they are needless deaths. it all depends on your perspective--and the Taliban perspective is decidedly in favor of more such actions.

As we go into the next decade of the 21st century, perhaps it is time to consider thinking and planning our reactions--and those of our coalition partners who are, after all, also losing valuable resources-- before we react to Taliban provocations. I'm not saying we should not react--only that we should assess first the near and possibly long term consequences of our actions--and not just be surprised and angry when they occur.

As most people now know (unless you have been in Antarctica in a blinding snow storm) a Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was allowed to board a Delta jet from Amsterdam bound for Detroit last weekend. This was despite a plea by his own father to the US Embassy to warn that his son was missing, had been taking training from al Qaeda, and was concerned that something would happen. This information was forwarded to the US State Department who did nothing with it (although later spinning seemed to indicate that information had been sent to the National Counterterrorism Center, who really decided to do nothing with it). Nor was the information coordinated with yet another report that spoke to young men trying to blow up planes with simple bombs that could be carried unnoticed onboard . This report, by the way, only finally arrived at DHS on Tuesday (12/29), after incident.

Janet Napolitano, the DHS Secretary, quickly spun up the issue further, indicating that an investigation would be held without at all indicating that she felt a serious breach had occured. Afteralll, according to napolitano, the bomb did not go off. Insterad, the would be-bomber only succeeded in setting himself on fire, and in a very private place that must have caused real pain.

Then the repurcussions...

The talk shows, evening news, and late night comics had a field day with the whole situation--some from a serious mode, and others who were less serious, but all brought the situation out as yet another failure of DHS and the TSA to really monitor and provide safety in the airways.

Several members of the former 9-11 Commission, such as former Governor Tom Kean of New Jersey, and Lee Hamilton, former Ohio Congressman also appeared on the air to say that they felt this situation was simply a continuation of the status quo. In their views, DHS had really done little over the longer term to increase safety, increase sharing of information among agencies, and paid little attention to data as it did come out.

Then the big gun, Former Vice President Dick Cheney, came out and asserted that the Obama Administration had been trying to forget that we are at war on terrorism. That stung the administration, having only just put the President on the airwaves to denounce the act and demand answers. The presidential Press Secretary quickly rebutted Cheney poorly, and even more spin started with the announcement that the president expected answers by December 31st from his agency leaders.

Future actions...

I believe the administration will continue to make noise--mostly spin--over the next several weeks. They already put out a new secret security policy that was quickly leaked to several bloggers, but there will be no major repurcussions to the political appointees. A couple of lower level career employees will get bashed, and some may resign, but that will be it--and then back to business as usual in this administration.

It doesn't have to be that way, but it will be unless there is a real, sustained uproar over airline safety and the broader question of continuing actively and intensively the War on Terror--even if Obama doesn't like the word.

TSA has issued subpoenas to two bloggers on travel to try and determine which of their own TSA employees leaked the new directive on increased security, the New York Times reported in yesterday's editions. As is usual with the TSA, their directives are supposed to be secret, even though they enforce them with the public. TSA special agents served subpoenas to travel bloggers Steve Frischling and Chris Elliott, demanding that they reveal who leaked the security directive to them. Both claimed they had little information. Frischling claimed the document simply appeared in his e-mail, and Elliott indicated he would have a statement after talking to his attorney.

Reuters is reporting huge pro-government demonstrations across Iran yesterday and early today.

According to Reuters, "Hundreds of thousands of government supporters rallied across Iran on Wednesday, swearing allegiance to the clerical establishment and accusing opposition leaders of causing unrest in the Islamic state."

"You should repent ... otherwise the system will confront you as a 'mohareb' (enemy of God)," cleric Ahmad Alamolhoda told a Tehran rally, directing his remarks at reformist leaders, state TV reported. Under Iran's sharia (Islamic law) the sentence for a mohareb is death." The situation in Tehran and elsewhere is rapidly deteriorating, from reports broad cast over You Tube and Al Jazeera, among others.

The article continued, "In Tehran, crowds burned American and British flags, condemning what they said was interference by Washington and London in Iran's internal affairs.

Semi-official Fars news agency said a group of hardliners gathered in front of the British embassy in Tehran, chanting "the British embassy should be closed down".

Iran's top authority accused the West of basing its actions toward Iran on "distorted realities".

There was no word of any opposition supporters on the streets on Wednesday, despite talk of demonstrations on reformist websites. Foreign media are restricted from moving around to report on such protests, which are illegal.

In Iran's bloodiest unrest since the aftermath of the disputed June 12 presidential election, eight people were killed on Sunday and at least 20 pro-reform figures, including three senior advisers to Mousavi, were arrested.

United Nations Human Rights chief Navi Pillay called on the Tehran government on Wednesday to curb excess use of force by its security services and expressed shock over violence."

Meanwhile, the US continues to pursue its plans to seek more stringent sanctions against Iran for its nuclear program. However, Reuters reports that this approach is not without danger to the broader situation evolving there. The Huffington Post in today's editions, discusses at length the rope balance between human rights and nuclearization that the Obama Administration has to walk to have any reasonable effect at all. Right now, it seems for the most part that Iran could care less about US threats. It remains to be seem if that view changes.

The Washington Post, on Monday, December 28th, had written about the impact of the anti-government demonstrations and deaths on Ashura--a high religious holiday for the Shi'ite Sect, and how this could mold opinion in that country. The Post calls the events of last weekend a turning point--one from which relations among the various Pro and Anit-government groups will never recover , at least until one of the other succeeds in eliminating the other and taking or retaining control. That could mean significant unrest for years to come, and has implications for the other area states with significant Shi'ite populations.

Here we go again, with agencies not talking to each other. Umar Farouk Abdulmuttalab, A Yemeni, managed to have a bomb on his person as he left Amsterdam on a Delta flight bound for Detroit, MI. He had secreted his bomb in his underwear. As the plane approached the airport in Detroit, this genius attempted to ignite the bomb and only succeeded in igniting himself--causing a small cabin fire and only God knows what damage to his private parts. He was subdued by a passenger and hauled away on arrival.

This was not an unknown situation. Authorities had been alerted b y this guy by his uncle, and he had already been interrogated by the FBI as a potential member of the same group as has been alleged to also have Major Hasan as a member. He was also on the terror watch list. In short, he should never have been on a plane to the US, at least. He also continued to hold a valid visa to the US.

Information on this guy was telegraphed from the US Embassy in Lagos, Nigeria, to the State Department in November. It was also shared with the Interagency National Counterterrorism Center, who decided there was insufficient information to invalidate his visa. I can certainly understand that--everybody can't be on their lists--even though the Bush Administration tried, and the Obama Administration has continued, the policy of putting anyone on their they choose.

What does bother me is that no one found the bomb before he got on the plane. His name of the watch list should have caused an interview, at least, at the airport, and a search. Neither happened as far as can be determined. Of course, DHS Secretary Napolitano will 'get to the bottom of the circumstances' -- probably in about 6 months and no one will be fired or disciplined for the oversight.

Meanwhile, al Qaeda, or at least someone calling thmselves that, has taken credit for the whole affair. What a world, and what a great law enforcement community we have. They can't even talk to each other in the same language.

Things have been getting really dicey in Iran over the past few days. Following initial demonstrations, sparked in part over the 'disappearance' of the body of the nephew of former presidential candidate Mir Hossein Musabi last weekend, and the refusal of the current regime to allow a funeral for late Grand Ayatollah Montazeri, a popular religious figure by the current religious dictator, Ayatollah Ali Khamaenei.

What is estimated as 'thousands' took to the streets in several cities, fighting the police, burning their vehicles, and getting the message out that all is not well in the Islamic Republic. Roving bands of police, revolutionary guards, and their cohorts on motorbikes have arrested what is reported as over a thousand people. In additin, police at every hospital and clinic are taking names and escorting injured out. Several who have died have had their bodies removed by the police--preventing their burial as required by Islamic Law.

So far Ahmadinijhad has not ordered the arrest of the rest of the former presidential candidates, but two other notables, Ebriham Yazdi, former foreign minister, age 78, and several high-level aides to Musabi were detained at u nknown locations. Those arrests only further inflamed the crowds. Thre official Irani Press, mostly controlled by the Revolutionary Guards, reported only on some reported pro-government demonstrations in Tehran and Qom.

President Obama was quick to denounce the brutal crackdowns, saying that the US "joins with the international community in stronlgy condemning the violent and unjust supprerssion of innocent Iranian citizens."

With the so-called 'informal' deadline approaching on the US/UN requirement that Iran agree to sending its uranium to another country to be processed into commercial use rods, and Iran's continuiing refusal to respond, you have to increasiningly wonder what the real next steps will be.

From my own perspective, I believe that the US will go to the UN and the EU for increased sanctions--probably get them from the EU, but less so sure it will happen in the UN since Russia and China will bring their own views to bear there. Some sanctions will follow that Iran will also disregard.

Then, some morning in the next month or two, Israel will stage an early morning raid on the Irani nuclear plants and try to surgically take them out--with the help of US intelligence and AWACS. They will get most of those know about, but probably not all of them that are still covered or hidden.

What happens after that is even more unclear. Will at least part of the Arab world rise up in some fashion? Will Chavez in Venezuela come to support Iran and cut off the heavy oil needed here and elsewhere for heating? Will OPEC do the same to some degree? Then, of course, what will be the military response, if any?

The rest of the Arab world will surely not let Israel take those steps without some response--even if most do have some dislike of Ahmadinajad and his religious cohorts that prop up that regime. They hate Israel even more, and even with Egypt in the Israeli camp, someone or group is bound to decide that retribution is needed.

I speak little of the current president of Iran in these pages, first, because he is an idiot, and the second because giving air to his babblings somehow may make them appear to be of value.

However, his latest babble in Copenhagen at the climate talks is worth a couple of words. Those words involve his seeking to get compensation from the UN for the allied invasion of Iran during WWII. Apparently, he feels that the country was better under axis domination than whatever the allies could have provided (and did). Well---that's it--the guy is an idiot and any ravings he may make are not worth listening to.

Science Daily reports in yesterday's edition that researchers at the University of Miami have developed a mathematical model for predicting violent attacks.

"Researchers and their collaborators analyzed the size and timing of 54,679 violent events reported in Afghanistan, Colombia, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Northern Ireland, Peru, Senegal and Sierra Leone. The findings show that there is a generic way in which humans carry out insurgency and terrorism when faced by a large powerful state force, and this is irrespective of background history, motivation, ideology, politics and location, explains Neil Johnson, principal investigator of the study and professor of Physics at the UM College of Arts and Sciences," according to the paper.

"We have found a unified model of modern insurgent wars that shows a fundamental pattern in the apparent chaos of wars," says Johnson. "In practical terms, our analysis can be used to create and explore scenarios, make predictions and assess risks, for present and future wars," they concluded. Read the entire story here.

Remember Mumbai

An Op-ed piece in the New York Times last month (Nov 25) by John Reid, the former UK Minister of Defense, uses the Mumbai anniversary as a cause for reflection on how terrorism continues to be a violent and looming force to be reckoned with around the world. The statistics are enormous. As Reid indicates, " Twelve months after Mumbai, it is clear that the terrorist threat will remain extremely serious globally for years to come. This is not, as some critics of Britain’s foreign and defense policies assert, primarily because of the “excesses” of Western policy since 9/11, especially in Iraq. This critique is a major misjudgment.

Indeed, according to the U.S. government’s Counterterrorism Center, approximately three quarters of the almost 11,800 terrorist incidents that took place across the world in 2008 (the latest full year for which data is available) took place outside the Iraqi theater.

Attacks in Africa, for instance, particularly in Somalia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, rose markedly last year, accounting for some 2,200 fatalities. These are countries and areas where little or no connection to Iraq can be rationally claimed. " Read the entire piece here.

Hamas wants all of Palestine

The Philadelphia Examiner, in this morning's editions, began a series of articles on Hamas and the Palestine Question with an explosive obsewrvation.

"Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh declared that Hamas’ goal is to take over all of Palestine. That would include Israel," the paper reported in in opening. "Up to now, some Israelis talked themselves into believing that some elements in Hamas, such as Mr. Haniyeh, were moderate, just wanted the area beyond the Green Line, and would live in peace. Haniyeh’s declaration disproves it." The article goes on to discuss how both Hamas and Fatch have, at various times, been offered parts of what they want, usually behind the so-called green line, and failed to respond. Read the whole article here. Why are we surprised?

Robert Serry, the United Nations special coordinator for the Middle East peace process said Thursday that recent activities by both Israel and the Palestinians are not contributing to settling their conflict and confidence remains low as 2009 draws to a close, according gto reports by Schlomo Shamir in Ha'aretz, an Israeli paper.

"Even the genuine progress taking place in parts of the West Bank runs in parallel with negative trends. We are in a race against time to overcome the contradictions on the ground and the crisis of confidence between the parties, and move decisively towards a political end game," he said.

The Associated Press, in its releases today, has a story about the village of Quariout, caught in the middle of the changing landscape as Israel rapidly continues to build settlements, where before there were only small arab villages. In this village, what once had been pasture and farmland, owned primarily by arabs, now splotches of red-roofed settlements have broken up the landscape in and near the village. The arabs call it the taking of their land, and the new Israeli settlers insist that it is nothing more than their return to their biblical homeland. The real questions is who is right? An even more important question is when the Israelis will actually produce on their commitment to stop the settlements and get on with negotiations.

My bet is that real negotiations will never take place--and whatever discussions do occur will only be from a position of strength for the Israelis, and crippling restrictions imposed on the arabs by Israel and their puppy dog, the US.

The Israeli Government has issued a 'stern' warning to the UK Government over the issuance of an arrest warrant under the Fourth Geneva Convention for the former Foriegn Minister of Israel Tzipi Livni. The message warned of increased tension and potential reduced relations over the incident, according to the Times of London in today's editions.

Under the convention, any country can arrest and try someone for crimes deemed so heinous that society in general would condemn them. In this case Livni had been a principal in the decisions to invade Gaza during the last go-round in the MIddle East--a situation described in the Goldstone Report, and condemned by the UN General Assembly. Since Livni had no diplomatic immunity as a former member of the Government, the warrant by the Westminister Court could have resulted in her arest and confinement. Instead, she cancelled her inteded trip to the UK and stayed home. Increasingly, there is reduced travel between israel and UK and other Eurpoean countries as the Geneva Conventions come up more frequently and requests are made for arrests in Europe. Israel is a signatory to the Conventions from 1951.

While these actions are seen by some as a ploy for publicity, it is increasing the pressure on Israel and other supporters, such as the US, to come to grips with the message that Israel cannot simply do what it chooses to the people of Gaza, or elsewhere, in violations of law, without consequences.

The UK Government should tell Israel to shove their 'stern' warning. They won't, of course, but it would go a long way to make them accou ntable for their indiscriminate large scale bombing, injury and killing of civilians, especially women and children in Gaza.

By now, virtually everyone who has not been in a deep cave or enclosed in heavy plastic has heard about the latest breach by TSA of its own security - the paper drop in court that ended up all over the Internet.

Everything started with a response by TSA to a suit that included a redacted copy of its screening manual. The document had been eletronically redacted rather than inked out, so copying the document to another page made the removal of the redactions easy to accomplish. Janet Napolitano, the Secretary of DHS i mmediately tried to cover up the fiasco by saying that the document was out-of-date anyway and no harm done. If that were the case then the opposing side in the court case needs to have a long talk with the judge on why they were provided faulty information.

Napolitano, testifying before a congressional oversight committee blamed everything on a contractor, but also said that several TSA/DHS employees were being disciplined for the breach of their own regulations. They did not announce who or what punishments were meted out, so its hard to tell if they are really concerned, or simply going through the motions as they usually do. Don't hold your breath on finding out either.

The government has a legitimate interest here in trying to keep the document -which has been bouncing around the Internet since - secret because it contains the prototcols that TSA uses to decide who gets screened, when, and to what degree -- information that could be invaluable to terrorists. The real solution to this breach is to make a clear example that another will not be tolerated. Cancel the contract and fire some employees -- if this were the military and some codes were compromised there would be real, swift, and substantial punishment for those involved. DHS should do the same and let it be know what punishments were imposed.

Several interesting pieces can be found in Fierce Government, a great site for accurate Fed news.

The very latest in stell underground walls is being constructed by Egyptian engineers to co ntain Gaza and reduce smuggling along its borders. According to the Guardian (UK) in today's editions, "Work has begun on Egypt's northern border to dig the foundations for what reports say will be a vast underground metal wall in the latest effort to prevent weapons smuggling into the Gaza Strip.""

Egyptian security officials have said they are digging steel tubes into the ground on their side of the border and are paving a road that will have devices along its route to monitor smuggling. The US Army Corps of Engineers, which is reportedly involved, has worked with the Egyptians on preventing smuggling along this border for at least two years, said the Guardian. The complete story is here..

"Egypt's new wall will be about six miles long and "impossible to cut or melt", the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz said. It said construction had already begun and that large slates of steel would eventually be buried into the ground. Joint Egyptian-American patrols had been seen on the Egyptian side of the border, it said."

Meanwhile, in the European Union vs Israel fight...

The Associated Press reports today on the continuing media battles between the European Union and Israel over the status of Jerusalem as the eventual capital of both Israel and Palestine. In its reports AP rreported that, "The European Union accused Israel on Thursday of trying to divide the 27-nation bloc to stop it passing a resolution calling for Jerusalem to be the shared capital of Israel and a future Palestinian state."

"The new resolution adopted by the EU on Tuesday sparked an angry reaction from Israel, which captured the eastern half of city on 1967 and considers it its eternal undivided capital. Palestinians want east Jerusalem as part of a future independent state."

"An EU official said Israel had lobbied intensively for the European foreign ministers to dilute an earlier draft proposed by Sweden — who currently holds the EU's rotating presidency — which explicitly stated that east Jerusalem should be the capital of a Palestinian state."

"Israeli leaders telephoned politicians in several European nations to press for removal of the passage, said the official, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter. In the end, the ministers modified the original draft, but still referred to the status of Jerusalem "as the future capital of two states," the official said."

"Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said Thursday that Israel should desist from trying to divide the bloc. He insisted that the Tuesday's decision demonstrated that the EU was a "cohesive and clear force" on global issues, including the Middle East."

Newspapers throughout the Midlle East are reporting today on the EU declaration that Jerusalem should be the capital of both Israel and the yet-to-be established Palestinian State. BBC News is reporting that this is causing mixed reactions, even in the media.

Commentators in Israel say the country "dodged a bullet" when the proposal from the EU that East Jerusalem be recognised as the future Palestinian capital was rejected. One commentator urges Israel's leaders to act quickly to quell any momentum that the statement may grant to the Palestinian cause.

Quoting Gideon Samet in Israel's Ma'Ariv: "The European community is fed up waiting for peace talks. The draft proposal was softened at the last minute, but remains a clear signal of the change in the international attitude to settlements in the [West] Bank. When the Palestinian initiative for unilateral independence is rolled out most of the countries of the world will recognise it. The United States cannot prevent this becoming an international fact even if it vetoes such a resolution at the [UN] Security Council. "

Similarly, quoting Herb Kenon in theJerusalem Post, "The bottom line is that Israel very much dodged a bullet... Had the Swedish resolution been adopted the language would probably have seeped into debates at the UN Security Council, making Israel's diplomatic situation more difficult than it already is... In the absence of Israeli initiatives or any real movement, other actors will put forward their own initiatives which may be deleterious to Israeli interests. "

Palestinian Al-Ayyam writer Hani Habib took a different tack on the ability of Israel to prevent direct designation of East Jerusalem as the future Palestinian Capital, saying, "Although Israeli President Shimon Peres expressed his disappointment with the final statement issued by the EU's foreign ministers on the Palestinian-Israeli issue, we think Israel was somewhat successful in redrafting Sweden's draft proposal... It is true that this decision is a Palestinian gain in one way or another, but it has not added anything new."

Generally, newspapers in the Middle East agree that Palestinians stand to benefit from a joint EU statement calling for Jerusalem to serve as the capital of both Israel and a future Palestinian state, noted the BBC News item. Commentators in Israel say the country "dodged a bullet" when the proposal from the EU that East Jerusalem be recognised as the future Palestinian capital was rejected. One commentator urges Israel's leaders to act quickly to quell any momentum that the statement may grant to the Palestinian cause. The Palestinian press welcome the statement as positive yet flawed - viewing the softening of its language as a concession to Israel. This sentiment is echoed by one Pan-Arab commentator who argues that Arab support for the Swedish proposal should have been more robust.

Nir Barkat the mayor of Jerusalem completely rejected the EU decision, according to a statement issued by his office late Tuesday. The statement quoted Barkat as saying that the decision posed "real danger" for the future of Jerusalem, and that it would "never work." The mayor noted that the recent celebration of the 20th anniversary of the reunification of Berlin reminds everyone that no divided city in the history of the world has functioned properly.

Talk in the Middle East is that long-time palestinian activist and leader Marwan Barghouti will be among those to be released in a swap for SGT. Gilad Shalit, taken by Hamas during the last invasion of Gaza. barghouti has alreadey announced che will run for president of the palestinian Authority even if he stays in jail. An interesting twist if it happens.

The freeze in settlement-building in the West Bank - Reality or politics?

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli PM, announced a moratorium in further settlement building in the West Bank, but has run into opposition from the settlers already there. The current settlers have been organizing to prevent governmnet inspectors from viewing the building that continues to go on in the face of the moratorium.

The real question, though, is what Netanyahu's intent was in the first place. Did he do it to placate Obama while knowing that stopping all building was simply not going to happen? The Israeli PM is not a stupid man--he knows his people well, and what they will do when pressed for action. So, announcing a moritorium that cannot be enforced without violence against the settlers is a far easier way to say you are dsoing something without actually having to do it. A great play when you can do it. Time will tell, but I'm betting on the side of the settlers.

Immigration to Israel and the Palestinian-controlled areas is increasing

Most of the major Middle East news Bureaus are reporting significant increases in both immigrants to Israel and returning Palestinians to their own native land areas. Even the economic downturn is helping as costs become more reasonable in relation to other countries' economies. nearly 4000 American jews have made the journey as new immigrants to Israel this year--the largest jump since 1973. Similar gains are occuring among the palestinians, and new villages and towns are bei ng built to house and support them. On particularly interesting article is in Yesterday's (12-3) Milldle REast Edition of the Wall Street Journal.

Israeli UN Ambassador criticizes the General Assembly's Day of Solidarity with Palestinians

Gabriela Shalev, Israeli Ambassador to the UN crticized the celebrations and speeches in the Assembly as one-sized and overly critical of Israel, which the Assembly,created by Resolution 181 in 1947.

"How can it be, then" said Ambassador Shalev "That the debate in these halls embraces a one-sided narrative that promotes and maintains an obsessive and condemnatory focus on Israel?" she asked.

"Today's debate undermines the endorsement of the two-state solution. It reflects the reality of an automatic majority that ensures that any debate on the situation in the Middle East shall be unfruitful, destructive, cynical and hateful."

These two day events have been held since 1977, and are often the only public forum in which palestinian issues are freely debated without the ever-present veto of the US.

A Final Note - President Abbas to visit Lebanon

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will shortly be visiting Lebanon to discuss the refugee camps and the reestablishment of one destroyed in fighting during past years. Some organizations count as many as 250,000 Palestinian refugees in lebanon, although the Lebanese Government provides a much lower figure. Abbas, who has announced in retirement and will not seek reelection has exp-ressed earnet desires to lessen the burden on refugees in nearby countries.

The Irani Governmnet, which has been eager to show its true colors to affront the rest of the world, has now started harassing and mistreating its own citizens around the world through threats to them and their families, reports the Wall Street Jounral in its Middle East Edition today.

The Journal reports a series of incidents where Iranis living abroad have received e-mail threats, phone calls, and seen their families detained and imprisoned for activities in various world countries outside Iran. Most of these are protestors who have been active on Face Book, Twitter, UTube and others, and represents a new dimension in their passioned efforts to still opposition and remain in control.

The article, by Farnaz Fassihi draws comparisions on the current dissent to that during the period of the overthrow of the Shah and the Intallation of Ayatollah Knomeini in the 70's. They, of course, deny that anything is occuring, but it seems well documented in the article. Read the who article here.

When will the civilized world step in and crush this mess of ignorant, deceitful, and merciless thieves and murderes?